Delhi govt targets dummy schools, issues notices, starts de-recognition

The Delhi government has launched an inspection drive across several schools under the supervision of the District Magistrate (DM), issuing notices to 10 schools, and initiating the process of de-recognising institutions found in serious violation of norms, officials said on Wednesday.

During the inspections, the DM was accompanied by senior academicians and officials from the Directorate of Education.

The action comes amid rising concerns over dummy schooling and the neglect of Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students.

Dummy schooling refers to the practice where students are enrolled on paper but do not attend classes, often to focus exclusively on coaching for competitive exams.

This crackdown follows the identification of at least 20 schools allegedly engaged in such operations.

This development also comes a day after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta directed strict action against private schools over arbitrary fee hikes. The issue came to light during a Jan Samvaad at her residence, where concerned parents brought it to her attention.

One such incident involved the Queen Mary School in Model Town. Reacting immediately, the Chief Minister instructed the Education Department to identify such schools and issue notices.

"It is completely unacceptable for any school to mentally harass parents or students, threaten them with expulsion, or increase fees without following due process," said Chief Minister Gupta.

She reaffirmed that the Government is committed to ensuring that every child receives access to quality and modern education. "Parents of children from some schools are constantly meeting me and telling me their problems. There are rules and laws for this, which are very important to follow. If any school is found violating this, then it will have to bear the consequences. We have issued notices to all the schools against which we are receiving complaints," she added.

CM Gupta assured that the Delhi Government will not tolerate any tampering with a child's future, and strict action will be taken against guilty institution.